Automobile attachment



Feb. 28, 1928. I

E. A. CUNNIFF AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT Filed May 24. 1927 ATTORNEY start the same, and'if the engine is started.

Patented Feb. 28, 1928. v

7 i is EDWARD A. cunnrrr, or WAL'rnAM, ivrassncnusn'rrs e UTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT.

Application 'fiiea na 24, 1927. ser al no. 1933334.

This invention relates to an automobile attachment for preventing the engine 01' the automobile from being-cranked while the driving mechanism is operatively connected to the engine.

The crank gine of an automobile is located at the front of the auto'mobilein practically all makes of pleasure cars and trucks. It is therefore necessary to stand directly in front 'otthe automobile tomanually crank'the engine'to while it" is operativelyfconnected to the wheel driving mechanism the person cranking theautomobile' is'likely to be run over as the automobile isdriven forward by itsengine. i 'Many serious accidents have resulted in the manner above mentioned, due to the failure of the driver of the automobile to make sure that the engine is disconnectedfrom the automobile driving mechanism before he cranks the engine. The presentinventi'on is therefore directed to an automobile attachment which is so constructed that it prevents the automobile from being cranked while the engine is operativelyconnected to the automobile driving mechanism.

The various features of the invention and novel combination of parts will be hereinafter described in connection with the ac-;

com 'anying drawing which illustrates one gooc practical form thereof. Y I,

The drawing consists of a perspective view of a well known make of automobile shown in light lines while the parts forming the subject matter ot'the present invention are shown heavier and shaded.

. The automobile attachment illustrated is shown as applied to the Ford type'of automobile employing the Well known planetary drive for imparting the driving torce jot the automobile.

engine to the rear wheels of the automobile, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited in use tofthis particular type of The crank 10 shown at the tront oit the'automobile se'rvesjto turn the engine over byv hand in order to startthe same, audit is normally pressed 'froiitwardly by a spring its inoperative position and this means, in the construction shown, consists of a transversely 'whichholds the'shaft engaging end of the crank out of driving "engagement with the power shaft of the automobileengine. The

for manually rotating the enarrangement is such that when it is desired to crank the englne'the crank 10 is pushed inwardly to engageits inner end with the power shaft of the engine in a Well known shaft is journaled idsupporting brackets for rocking movement. The brake-"operating-lever 11 is shown in'the position 'it occupies when the emergency brakes are released; that-1s,;th1s lever is shown in the p0 sltion 1t occuples when the automobile is be ing driven. The emergency b'rakes'are applied by pulling the lever llrearwardly to approximately a vertical position; this rearward movementnot'the lever 11 not only applies the emergency brakes, but serves also 1 to releasethe automobile driving mechanism from the engine so that the latter may rotate without driving the automobile. The

I releasing ofthis driving mechanism is effected by the cam arm 13 secured to the brake actuating shaft-l2 and at the outer-endoi'.

the arm 13 is provided the camming mem loer la which serves to torcea rocking arm 15 upwardly as the lever 11 ismoved to the V brake applying position. v g

The elevationof the lever 15 serves to release the automobile clutch.' v The brake'ac-.

tuati'ng shaft 12' is provided withthe downwardly extending arms 16 to the lower ends of which are secured the rods 17 that actuate the brake bands upon the rear wheels or" the automobile.

The mechanism so far described 'constitutes part of the usual equipment of" the Ford automobile and forms no essential part of th'epersent invention, but is shown and" briefly described to. make clear the association of the attachment of the present invention therewith to prevent the crank 10 from being-operated. tos'tart the automobile engine when the engine is operatively connect-.

ed to the automobile driving mechanism.

In accordance with the present invention means is provided for'holding the crank 10in extending sha ft18 mountedat the front of the automobile and which in the construction shown is supported for rockingmove ment by the bracket 19 that may be secured to the automobile frame by'bolts Q0,and

this bracket is provided 'with the spaced arms 21 having upwardly extending-ears 22 in which thelshaft 18 is rotatably mounted,

' Movement of the shaft 18 in the direction ofits length within the supporting bracket 'may be prevented by providing the shaft with the collars23 that maybe rigidly secured to the shaft in the desired position of adjustment by the set screws 24. The shaft 18 is provided with the spaced fingers 25 which, in the construct-ion shown, are

positioned to straddle a portion of thecrank 10, as will be apparent from the drawing, to hold the same so that it cannot be operated; to crank the automobile. The spaced fingers 25 are preferably connected by a bridge a member 26 andthese fingers may-be rigidly secured to the shaft 18 .1 5 set screws 27;

mounted in the lugs formed at the, inner ends of the fingers and which are provided with drill holes through which the shaft 18 extends, as will be apparent from the drawhe construction shown in the drawing for placmgthe crank engaging fingers 25 under thecontrol of thebrake applying le- Iver 11 consists of the connecting rods 28 which may be disposed at the" opposite sides of the automobile beneaththe mud guards and acent the side beams of theiautomobile chassis, =which beams extend from: the front to the rear axles of the automobile Therearendsof the connecting rods 28 may be secured to the downwardly extending arms 16 above mentioned and the forward ends of these rods are connected to the arms 29 which are fastened to the opposite ends of the shaft 18. I that movement of the brake applying shaft 12 to the brake releasing position in which it is shown in the drawing will pull. the connecting rods 28 rearwardly land this will serve torock the shaft'18 in a direction to engage the fingers 25 with thecrank 10 to hold the latter in its inoperative position. Movement of the brake applying lever 11 rearwardly to the brake applying position ,will push the connecting rods 28 frontwardly and this-willrock tbefingers 25 down- Vwardly out of engagement with the crank '10 so that the latter may be forced inwardly and rotated to crank' the automobile engine. It will be apparent from the foregoing that the automobile attachment forming the subf ject'matter ofthe present invt-ntion makes it impossible to operate the, crank 10 to turnv the automobile' ngine over unless the brake apply ng leve1 11 has been first moved to the position in which it releases the engine from theautomobile driving mechanism,

thus eliminating'all danger of the person The arrangement-is such,

automobile driving position.

cranking the automobile being run over due to the automobile being driven forward when the engine is started.-

lVhat is claimed 1s:, is 1, An automobile attachment for preventing the engine from being cranked while theJdriVing mechanism is 'operatively con{ nected to the engine, comprising in combination, crank engaging means adapted to hold the engine crank inoperative, a lever operable to effect rotation of the automobile drivingmechanism from the engine, and

mechanism under the control ofsaid lever' and adapted to hold sa d. crank engaging means in its crankiholding position as long as said leveris in'th-e position. a f V 2. An automobile attachment for preventing the engine from being crankedwhile the driving mechanism is operatively connected to the engine, comprising: in combination, a k ngagi g" me sad pt d ho d h engine crank inoperative, a lever operable to effect rotationof the automobile driving mechanism from the engine, and a connect on between sa d lever and crank engag ng means and operable; to move the latter into position to hold the crank inoperative as said holding means to and from; its crank holding position.

automobile driving 4. In combination with an automobile havi ing a lever operable to effect rotation ofthe automobile driv n mechanism from, the engine, and a crank foivmanually rotating the" engine; means mounted adjacent said crank and movable into and out of position to hold the crank inoperative, and a connectionbetween said lever anag am; holding means and adapted to maintain sa d hold ng means --in the position in which it renders the crank inoperative as long as. said-lever is in the V In combinationwith an automobile having a lever for applying the automobile brakes, and a crank for inanuall v'rotati'ng the engine, meansfor holding the crank inoperative, and a connection between said lever and crank holdingineans and adapted to maintain said holding meansin its crank holding position when the leveris in the brake releasedposi'tion. "6; In combination 'with' an automobile having a brake a'cti'iating shaft extending transversely f'the automobile, lever for rocking said shaft, and a crank for manually rotating the engine; means for holdlng the crank 1n0perat1ve,.and a connectlon between said shaft and holding means and" adapted to move the latter to and from its crank holding position as the lever is moved to rock the brake applying shaft.

7. An automobile attachment, comprising in combination, a shaft extending transversely of the automobile adjacent the crank for the engine and supported for roeking'movement, crank engagmg means mounted upon said shaft and adapted to be movecl thereby into and out of position tohold the crank inoperative, a brake actuating shaft extending transversely of theautomobile, a lever forrotating the brake actuating shaft, and

a connecting rod between said shafts for lmpartingrotative movement from one to the other and adapted. to render salcl crank inoperative as long-ase'the brake applying shaft is in its brake released position.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned-my name to this specification.

EDWARD A; CUNNiFFQ 

